North West
HMO licensing in Burnley
Burnley Council requires a mandatory licence for HMOs occupied by 5 or more people from 2 or more households. It also runs selective licensing in designated areas, covering privately rented homes that are not licensable HMOs. The published licence fee starts at £961.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
Selective
Council-designated schemes
Licence fee
From £961
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Burnley
Burnley Council consulted from 3 August to 18 October 2026 on redesignating its Burnley Wood with Healey Wood and Leyland Road selective licensing areas (current designation ends 20 July 2027) and introducing a new selective licensing area in the Lyndhurst Road area. The consultation window has now closed with no decision published yet; responses go into a consultation report for the Executive Committee to consider. A separate designation covering Trinity, Queensgate, Gannow, Daneshouse and Stoneyholme, and Padiham is in force from 27 April 2025 to 26 April 2030.
- Announced
- 3 August 2026
- Consultation closes
- 18 October 2026
Verified 19 October 2026
Licence fees
The published fee for a new HMO licence is £961. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
Mandatory HMO licence fee (2026/27 fee year) is split into two payments: an application-stage payment and a further payment due when the licence is granted. Standard applicants pay £557 on application (covering up to 10 rooms, plus £21 per additional room) and £404 on grant of the licence, giving a combined total of £961. Landlords/agents who are members of Burnley's Good Landlord and Agent accreditation scheme pay a reduced rate of £388 on application and £283 on grant (£671 total). Separately, Burnley operates Selective Licensing in designated areas, which is a different licence with its own fee: £736 (online application) or £661 for existing/previous licence holders in the Burnley Wood, Healey Wood and Leyland Road area (scheme runs July 2022 to July 2027), and £774 (online) or £692 for previous licence holders in the Trinity, Daneshouse, Gannow, Queensgate and Padiham areas. Fees are payable online by debit/credit card.
Check the current fee on the council website (burnley.gov.uk) before you apply.
Additional and selective licence fees
Fees for council-designated schemes are set separately from the mandatory HMO fee. Figures are the standard full-rate fee for a new licence, before any discounts.
Selective licence
£774
Ranges from £736 to £774
Selective licence for a single privately rented dwelling not previously licensed, online application made on or after 27 July 2026, in the 2025-2030 areas (Trinity, Daneshouse and Stoneyholme, Gannow, Queensgate, Padiham); full rate, paid in two parts (£420 on application + £354 on grant of licence)
30% Good Landlord and Agent Scheme (GLAS) discount (taken off the second payment; GLAS-discounted total £541.80 in the 2025-2030 areas). Council's table lists a lower fee for an additional property application (£694 in 2025-2030 areas, £661 in 2022-2027 areas). The older Burnley Wood with Healey Wood and Leyland Road scheme (21 July 2022 to 20 July 2027) charges £736 (£382 + £354) for a new online application. Earlier-application rates applied up to 26 July 2026 and have now ended.
Scheme: From 27 April 2025 to 26 April 2030
Checked 5 October 2026 against burnley.gov.uk
Minimum room sizes
| Double/triple bedroom (over 10 years old, 2 persons) | 10.22 m² minimum floor area — national statutory minimum under The Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018, applied by Burnley Council as it has not published different HMO-specific figures. |
|---|---|
| Single bedroom (over 10 years old, 1 person) | 6.51 m² minimum floor area — national statutory minimum, applied by Burnley Council. |
| Bedroom occupied by a child under 10 | 4.64 m² minimum floor area — national statutory minimum, applied by Burnley Council. |
National minimums for licensed HMOs are 6.51 m² for one adult and 10.22 m² for two adults; councils can apply higher local standards.
Fire safety requirements
- A fire risk assessment must be carried out for every licensable HMO.
- Following the fire risk assessment, the licence holder must take action to reduce identified fire risks and ensure safe means of escape are maintained.
- Burnley Council and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service carry out joint inspections of licensable HMOs to check fire safety compliance.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- HMOs must meet Burnley Borough Council's published HMO Standards (2018), which draw on the Housing Act 2004, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, and the mandatory licence conditions regulations.
- Licence holders must satisfy 'Fit and Proper Person' requirements and meet the council's management standards for licensed HMOs.
- An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of at least band E, an in-date Gas Safety (CP12) certificate, and a satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) are required as part of maintaining a compliant, licensable HMO.
Documents you will need
- Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Current, in-date gas safety record for every gas appliance in the property, renewed annually.
- EICR — A clear, satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report, valid (issued within the last 5 years).
- EPC — A valid Energy Performance Certificate rated band E or better.
- Fire risk assessment — Evidence of a fire risk assessment carried out for the property, with any actions addressed.
Sources
- burnley.gov.uk
- burnley.gov.uk
- burnley.gov.uk
- burnley.gov.uk
- burnley.gov.uk
- burnley.gov.uk
- burnley.gov.uk
- legislation.gov.uk
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Burnley Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.